Can't Have Just One
by MyTwistedAndWarpedMind
Summary: These two sexy male specimens are like potato chips, you can't have just one! When Bella comes to Jacob and Edward, they go along with her plan. But for how long? Will they end up fight for her? Or sharing and having LOTS of fun.M for VERY explicit detail
1. And the Truth Comes Out

AN: The beginning of this story is an outtake from the tent scene in Eclipse: The Book, so if you have already read it, you can just scroll to almost the bottom to where the original work starts. I just wanted to add this bit for the people who have only watched the movies. Thanks :)

BTW, this is an E/B/J fic. It will be a threesome, SO, if you are not okay with that, I'm pretty sure you know how the click the back button and find a new story. :) Happy reading!

**MTAWM**

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><p>The wind shook the tent, and I shook with it.<p>

The temperature was dropping. I could feel it through the down bag, through my jacket. I was fully dressed, my hiking boots still laced into place. It didn't make any difference. How could it be so cold? How could it keep getting colder? It had to bottom out sometime, didn't it?

"W-w-w-w-w-what t-t-t-t-time is it?" I forced the words through my rattling teeth.

"Two," Edward answered. He sat as far from me as possible in the cramped space, afraid to even breathe on me when I was already so cold. It was too dark to see his face, but his voice was wild with worry, indecision, and frustration.

"Maybe . . ."

"No, I'm f-f-f-f-f-fine, r-r-r-really. I don't w-w-w-want to g-go outside."

He'd tried to talk me into making a run for it a dozen times already, but I was terrified of leaving my shelter. If it was this cold in here, protected from the raging wind, I could imagine how bad it would be if we were running through it.

And it would waste all our efforts this afternoon. Would we have enough time to reset ourselves when the storm was over? What if it didn't end? It made no sense to move now. I could shiver my way through one night.

I was worried that the trail I had laid would be lost, but he promised that it would still be plain to the coming monsters.

"What can I do?" he almost begged.

I just shook my head. There's nothing he can do unless he want's all the work we did this afternoon of setting up the trap to be worthless.

Out in the snow, Jacob whined unhappily.

"G-g-g-get out of h-h-h-ere," I ordered, again.

"He's just worried about you," Edward translated. "He's body is equipped to deal with this."

"H-h-h-h-h-h." I wanted to say that he should still leave, but I couldn't get it past my teeth. I nearly bit my tongue off trying. At least Jacob did seem to be well equipped for the snow, better even than the others in his pack with his thicker, longer, shaggy russet fur. I wondered why that was.

Jacob whimpered, a high-pitched, grating sound of complaint.

"What do you want me to do?" Edward growled, too anxious to bother with politeness anymore. "Carry her through that? I don't see you making yourself useful. Why don't you go fetch a space heater or something?"

"I'm ok-k-k-k-k-k-kay," I protested. Judging from Edward's groan and the muted growl outside the tent, I hadn't convinced anyone. The wind rocked the tent roughly, and I shuddered in harmony with it.

A sudden howl ripped through the roar of the wind, and I covered my ears against the noise.

Edward scowled. "That was hardly necessary," he muttered. "And that's the worst idea I've ever heard," he called more loudly.

"Better than anything you've come up with," Jacob answered, his human voice startling me."Go fetch a space heater?" he grumbled. "I'm not a St. Bernard."

I heard the sound of the zipper around the tent door pulling swiftly down. What's he doing?

Jacob slid through the smallest opening he could manage, while the arctic air flowed in around him, a few flecks of snow falling to the floor of the tent. I shivered so hard it felt like a convulsion.

"I don't like this," Edward hissed as Jake zipped the tent door shut. "Just give her the coat and get out."

My eyes were adjusted enough to see shapes - Jacob was carrying the parka that had been hanging on a tree next to the tent.

I tried to ask what they were talking about, but all that came out of my mouth was, "W-w-w-w-w-w," as the shivering made me stutter uncontrollably.

"The parka's for tomorrow - she's too cold to warm it up by herself. It's frozen." He dropped it by the door. "You said she needed a space heater, and here I am." Jacob held his arms as wide as the tent allowed. As usual, when he'd been running around as a wolf, he'd only thrown on the bare essentials - just a pair of sweats, no shirt, no shoes.

"J-J-J-J-Jake, you'll f-f-f-freez-z-z-ze," I tried to complain.

"Not me," he said cheerfully. "I run at a toasty one-oh-eight point nine these days. I'll have you sweating in no time."

Edward snarled, but Jacob didn't even look at him. Instead, he crawled to my side and started unzipping my sleeping bag.

Edward's hand was suddenly hard on his shoulder, restraining, snow white against the dark skin. Jacob's jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring, his body recoiling from the cold touch. The long muscles in his arms flexed automatically.

"Get your hand off of me," he growled through his teeth.

"Keep your hands off of her," Edward answered blackly.

"D-d-d-don't f-f-f-f-fight," I pleaded. Another tremor rocked through me. It felt like my teeth were going to shatter, they were slamming together so hard.

"I'm sure she'll thank you for this when her toes turn black and drop off," Jacob snapped.

Edward hesitated, then his hand fell away and he slid back to his position in the corner.

His voice was flat and frightening. "Watch yourself."

Jacob chuckled. "Scoot over, Bella," he said, zipping the sleeping bag open farther.

I stared at him in disbelief. No wonder Edward was reacting this way.

"N-n-n-n-n," I tried to protest. I mean, I had to say that, what would Edward think if I didn't protest, if I just agreed readily to what Jake was suggesting.

"Don't be stupid," he said, exasperated. "Don't you like having ten toes?"

He crammed his body into the nonexistent space, forcing the zipper up behind himself.

And then I couldn't object, I couldn't fake it anymore. He was so warm. His arms constricted around me, holding me snugly against his bare chest. The heat was irresistible, like air after being underwater for too long. He cringed when I pressed my icy fingers eagerly against his skin.

"Jeez, you're freezing, Bella," he complained.

"S-s-s-s-sorry," I stuttered. Hmm.. He felt so nice and warm.

"Try to relax," he suggested as another shiver rippled through me violently. "You'll be warm in a minute. Of course, you'd warm up faster if you took your clothes off."

Edward growled sharply.

"That's just a simple fact," Jacob defended himself. "Survival one-oh-one."

I couldn't help the blush that ran up my face when he said that. C-c-cut it out, Jake," I said. Why was he acting like this with Edward so close by? It's like he want's to get in a fight with him.

"Don't worry about the bloodsucker," Jacob suggested, and his tone was smug. "He's just jealous."

"Of course I am." Edward's voice was velvet again, under control, a musical murmur in the darkness. "You don't have the faintest idea how much I wish I could do what you're doing for her, mongrel."

"Those are the breaks," Jacob said lightly, but then his tone soured. "At least you know she wishes it was you." Not true, actually, I don't mind a bit it's Jacob instead of Edward, although... I wouldn't object to both of them either, but Edward being close by wouldn't really help my situation right now.

"True," Edward agreed.

The shuddering slowed, became bearable while they wrangled.

"There," Jacob said, pleased. "Feeling better?"

I've _been_ feeling better, and I'm not just talking about the cold, I wanted to tell him, but all that came out of my mouth was.. "Yes."

Coward, I thought at myself.

It was already warm and snug inside the sleeping bag. Jacob's body heat seemed to radiate from every side - maybe because there was so much of him. I kicked my boots off, and pushed my toes against his legs. He jumped slightly, and then leaned his head down to press his hot  
>cheek against my numb ear. I shifted, it was a little uncomfortable with the loose boots in the bottom of the sleeping bag.<p>

"Can I get of the sleeping bag or a second." I would just move the boots out, fast and quick, before the cold started seeping in my skin again.

"Why?" Asked Jacob, as he unzipped the sleeping bag from behind him and slid out, leaving space for me to move.

"Just going to move these boots out." While i was on the outside of the sleeping bag, I also slipped off the two coats I had on to keep me warm, I wasn't going to be needing those either, with how hot Jacob was. Hot as in temperature-wise, not look wise. Not that he wasn't hot, it's just, wow, I'm getting flustered even in my own thoughts.

"You might want to get back in the sleeping bag Bella, your going to get cold very fast." Edward warned.

"I know Edward," The lack of sleep causing my words to come out sharper than I intended them. Jacob seemed to enjoy that.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you Edward," I sighed, rubbing my eyes, and climbing back into the sleeping bag. I tried to situate myself into a comfortable position, but the tight quarters were allowing much extra elbow room. Already I was getting hot again, so before I zipped up the sleeping bag I pulled off my jeans, and tossed them into a corner of the tent.

I heard Edward growl, and I lifted my head to look at him curiously.

"Please!" He hissed, "Do you mind?"

"What?" Jacob whispered back, his tone surprised.

"Do you think you could attempt to control your thoughts?" Edward's low whisper was furious.

"No one said you had to listen," Jacob muttered, defiant, yet still embarrassed. "Get out of my head."

"I wish I could. You have no idea how loud your little fantasies are. It's like you're shouting them at me."

"I'll try to keep it down," Jacob whispered sarcastically.

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Yes," Edward answered an unspoken thought in a murmur so low I barely made it out. "I'm jealous of that, too."

"I figured it was like that," Jacob whispered smugly. "Sort of evens the playing field up a little, doesn't it?"

Edward chuckled. "In your dreams." What were they talking about?

"You know, she could still change her mind," Jacob taunted him. "Considering all the things I could do with her that you can't. At least, not without killing her, that is."

"Go to sleep, Jacob," Edward murmured. "You're starting to get on my nerves."

"I think I will. I'm really very comfortable." I smiled at that, I was really quite comfortable myself.

Edward didn't answer. Did he catch me smiling? Did he figure it out? Please, god no, I haven't even told Jake yet, let alone Edward.

"Maybe I would," Edward said after a moment. Oh, okay, he had just been listening to Jacobs thoughts. I hope he hadn't heard my heart accelerating, I wonder what he would have made of that, if he had been listening.

"But would you be honest?"

"You can always ask and see." Edward's tone made me wonder if I was missing out on a joke.

"Well, you see inside my head - let me see inside yours tonight, it's only fair," Jacob said.

"Your head is full of questions. Which one do you want me to answer?"

"The jealousy... it has to be eating at you. You can't be as sure of yourself as you seem. Unless you have no emotions at all."

"Of course it is," Edward agreed, no longer amused. "Right now it's so bad that I can barely control my voice. Of course, it's even worse when she's away from me, with you, and I can't see her." Did he not trust me? Did he think I would cheat on him with Jacob behind his back? That would be doing things with him, while he was out hunting? Well, I had thought of it, but that didn't mean I was actually going to. I couldn't believe him!

"Do you think about it all the time?" Jacob whispered. "Does it make it hard to concentrate when she's not with you?"

"Yes and no," Edward said; he seemed determined to answer honestly. "My mind doesn't work quite the same as yours. I can think of many more things at one time. Of course, that means that I'm always able to think of you, always able to wonder if that's where her mind is, when she's quiet and thoughtful."

They were both still for a minute.

"Yes, I would guess that she thinks about you often," Edward murmured in response to Jacob's thoughts. "More often than I like. She worries that you're unhappy. Not that you don't know that. Not that you don't use that." Him use that? He thought he was using that to get me to come over? Haha, more like I was using that to get Edward to let me come visit Jake. I do worry that he's unhappy though, I loved him, in more than a platonic way, and I know he loves me, but I didn't want to leave Edward, I loved him too, so much. I know I'm hurting him, acting the way I am, but i can't help it. I can't help all these feelings that I have, all these confusing thoughts.

"I have to use whatever I can," Jacob muttered. "I'm not working with your advantages - advantages like her knowing she's in love with you." But, that's not true, I know I'm in love with him, I just didn't know if I would ever have the guts to tell him.

"That helps," Edward agreed in a mild tone.

Jacob was defiant. "She's in love with me, too, you know." That's right Jake, and that confuses me so much, I don't know what I'm going to do.

Edward didn't answer.

Jacob sighed. "But she doesn't know it." Oh, but Jake, I do, I do know it. I hurt me, to see him so hurt over something so untrue, I wanted to tell him, so bad, I never want to see him hurt. Maybe if I tell him now, before I lose my nerve. I should, I'm going to, here goes-.

"Jacob?" Oh god, what are you doing Bella, you know what this is going to do to Edward? It's going to hurt him so bad. Damn! Why does my life have to be so complicated. Either, one of them is hurting, and I make them feel better, but in turn, I hurt the other. Or vise-versa.

"Bella?" Jacob voice was laced with confusion. "I thought you were asleep"

"Uhm, no, not really. I've been listening to you guys talk, I haven't been able to sleep."

"Oh, well, what did you hear?"

"Everything." Duh, I just told him I'd been awake the whole time. Okay Bella, tell him now, before you chicken out. Do it! Now!

"Jacob?" I said again, uncertainly. Why does my stomach feel so fluttery? And not in a good way.

"What is it Bella?" He sounded concerned now, I wonder why.

"I need to tell you something, something important, that you need to know, that I've known for a while now, about you, well, and me, about us." Wow Bella, way to stutter your way though that.

"What is it?" His voice no longer sounded confused, it just rang with unconcealed curiosity.

"I, Jacob.. This is really hard for me, but I have to tell you okay?"

"Just spit it out already Bella! I'm dieing here!" He sounded like he was starting to get annoyed. Guess I better get out with it.

"Jacob, Jacob I-Love-You!" I said it so fast i wasn't sure if he understood me, but then I felt his body tense up, and he glanced over at Edward. What? Why would he be looking at Edward? I looked over to see what had his attention, and then I knew why he was tensing up.

Edward had crouched in a sitting position, his eye's locked with Jacob, and all of his muscles were locked in place.

Oh no, I though. This couldn't be good...


	2. A Little Taste of Werewolf

AN: Here's where the original work comes in. :) Hope you enjoy. Oh, and Smuttiness is in the near future. :D

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><p>"Wait! Edward, no! It's not what you think.<em>" <em>I tried to explain. "I love him, but.. Edward?" I choked off as I watched him straighten up with almost invisible speed and stalk out of the tent, flinging the flap out behind him.

"Wh- Wait! Edward, Why? What just happened?" I asked bewildered.

"Bella? Are you touched in the head? What did you think he was going to do? You just said you loved me, right in front of him. What? You expect him to laugh it off? Be happy for me?" Even Jacob sounded disappointed in me.

"No, I, I didn't know what to expect, I wasn't thinking a-"

"Well that was obvious." Jacob snorted. I chose to ignore him.

"Where's he going?" There was so much I wanted to ask and say, but that seemed most important right now. Damn, this really didn't come out the way I planned.

"How would I know Bella? Really."

"Can, can you go find him for me please? I need to talk to him."

"I don't think he really wants to talk right now Bella."

"But I have to! I have to explain!"

"Explain what? That you don't really love me? What want him to come back? Why did you even say that Bella?

"Jacob, I do love you, a lot. But I love him too."

"I know, I get it Bella, what I don't understand is why you had to just blurt it out like that. I think you gave him the wrong impression." He sounded hurt, and disappointed. About what though? I had just told him I love him and he's disappointed? Unless he thought..

"Jacob! No, it's not what you think either. I love you. Love you, love you. In more than a platonic way," I scoffed, "a lot more than platonic way... Jacob, _I'm in love_ with you."

Did he understand now? That I couldn't live without him? That I've been trying to say that this whole time? Did he understand now?

"Bella, I don't understand what your saying! Do you love me? Or him!"

"Both" I pleaded with him to understand.

"Oh. He looked down,"Okay, I get it, I understand." For some reason he wouldn't look me in the eye. "You want me to go find him? I'll be out of your way after that." His voice was low and guarded. What's he doing?

"What? No! I mean, yes." I sighed, "do you have to leave?"

"Do you want me to get your damn bloodsucker or not Bella?" He was angry now. I could see it in his eyes. His face had blocked all emotion. "Sam's face," I called it. And he still wouldn't make eye contact with me.

"What's your problem Jacob? I tell you that I love you, that I want to be with you, and all you do is get angry and yell at me!"

"What my problem is, is that, yes, I know you love me! And I'm glad you finally figured it out! But you still love that leech, and I'll never be enough for you! Will I? You'll always love him, and you'll always want to be with _him_." He spat out, "You'll never love me enough to want to be with me. Because that means leaving your precious bloodsucker. I get it Bella, okay? I'm not stupid."

"No! Jacob. Damnit! I love you! I want to be with you! Okay? Don't you understand. You ARE enough for me Jake! I love you!" I had to show him what i meant. How can he be that stupid? I said it plain as day! How can he not. Fucking. Understand!

"A-Are you serious Bella? Please tell me you not joking." His eye's had light up, and his voice was laced with what sounded like hope.

"Of course I'm serious Jacob. I've never been more serious." And then, before i lost the nerve, I reached toward him and crashed my lips to his.

He responded almost immediately, tangling his hand in my hair and the other he rested on my cheek. And my lips were moving with his in strange, confusing ways they'd never moved before - because I didn't have to be careful with Jacob, and he certainly wasn't being careful with me.  
>My fingers tightened in his hair, and he was everywhere. The heat was everywhere. I couldn't see or hear or feel anything that wasn't Jacob. My hands clung to his shoulders, and liked that they were wide and strong. His hands pulled me too tight against his body, and yet it was not tight enough for me.<p>

Jacob's lips were still before mine were. I opened my eyes and he was staring at me with wonder and elation. He bent to kiss me again, yet this time was different. His hands were soft on my face and his warm lips were gentle and unexpectedly hesitant. It was brief, and very, very sweet. His arms curled around me, and he hugged me securely while he whispered in my ear. "That should have been our first kiss. Better late than never."


	3. To Which the Werewolf Agrees

"Better late than never" I agreed, ignoring the conscience-stricken thoughts in the back of my mind.

"So.. What now" He asked, and frankly I had no idea. How was I supposed to explain to Edward, with out him getting mad and leaving. How could I make him stay still long enough to listen to what I had to say? A sudden thought struck me. But, that might not work, how could I even make_ him_ understand. It was worth a try though...

"Jacob?"

"Hmm..?" He asked leaning back to lay on the tent floor and putting his arms behind his head.

"I- I need to explain something to you.. And, I know your going to be mad, but I need you to listen. Understand. _Please_, please, Please, don't walk away until I'm finished. I pleaded. "I really want you to understand."

He looked at me confused for a second, with worry written on his face, before saying, "Yeah, go ahead."

No," I needed a better answer than that, "You have to promise you won't leave, okay? Please?"

"I promise, Bella. Now what is it?"

I took a deep breathe. "Okay... Jacob, I love you. Wait, wait, wait" I said before he could interrupt me, "I know I've said that before, but I need to say it again. I love you Jacob Black, more than anything in the whole entire world... except Edward... Wait, don't go! You promised to listen to the whole thing! Jacob please!"

Jacob, it seemed, didn't care about promises, because he was, at this minute, headed straight for the tent door.

"Jacob, you promised!" My voice cracked as I yelled out to him.

I could see his muscles tense up, before he slowly turned around.

"Fine!" He growled, and I couldn't help the smile that crept up on my face as he dropped back down on the floor. "I'll listen, but I'm positive I already know what your going to say."

_Well I'm pretty sure you don't_, I thought to myself as I crawled over and onto his lap. He was warm, and already I was getting goosebumps from the cold.

"Jacob," I started, "I love you, so much, but I love Edward too. And I'm so confused, and I know I'm hurting the both of you with my actions. But, I just can't help it. I love you both so, so much. And I don't want to choose between the both of you, but I know I'm going to have to. I don't know who I'm going to choose. And I'm afraid that one of you are going to leave before I do. And I just feel so, so.. Overwhelmed! You both are pushing me to choose, and I just can't! I want you both so bad! You both are so wonderful, and beautiful, and perfect. I can't even begin to find a reason either of you would even want to be with me, let alone both of you! And I just.."

Suddenly my chin was lifted, a fraction of a second before Jacob's lips came crashing down on mine. Kissing Jacob the complete opposite of kissing Edward. Edwards lips were icy cold, and hard, they were passionate, yet always annoyingly hesitant. Where-as Jacobs were warm, inviting, sensual, and he never, ever held back.

All too soon, he broke away. I tried to reach up and kiss him again, but he just chuckled and tucked me against his chest and rested his chin on the top of my head. "Bella," I could feel the vibrations in his chest from him talking, "Don't ever thing like that, okay?" You are too good for either of us. You are kind, and caring, and-"

"Jake," I cut him off, "How can you say that." "How can you say I'm kind and caring, when, if I were kind, I would just choose one of you guys, and stop all this confusion. And if I were caring, I would wouldn't be causing you both this hurt.."

"Bella" Jacob explained, "your not causing us hurt," Liar. "But I guess it is a little confusing, when your telling the both of us that you love us, and then the other." "But Bella, if you don't want to choose between us, then don't. I don't want to force anything on you, and I'm sorry if you felt that way. I'll be here for as long as you'll have me. Though, I don't know if I can say that I'm too thrilled about having to share you. But, If that's what you want, I'll do it. I'm not sure I can say the same about your Bloodsucker though.

That reminded me. "Jacob! You have to help me find him! Please." I begged.

He gave me a cynical look before agreeing.

"Jacob, we have to go now. How will we even know where to look?"

"Oh, I have a pretty good idea where he is"

"How?" I asked skeptically.

"I have my ways." Was all he said before grabbing my arm, throwing me onto his back, unzipping the tent door and jogging out into the night.

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><p>AN: Thanks for the first review, LuvnmyEdward :) And to answer you questions:<p>

1)Yes, this will be threesome, so no, it's not going to be more Jacob than Edward, they get equal time ;) So to answer you second question, yes, it will the the three of them figuring things out.

2) When it come to Bella's first, when it gets to around the time, I will post a poll on my page for people to vote for who they want to be first. And..

3) Something between Jacob and Edward... Well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see, huh? :P

Thank everyone for reading this story. I have so much traffic from this story, it's not even funny, but I do appreciate reviews, so if you could maybe send one my way? That would make my day. Thanks,

**MTAWM**


	4. And the Vampire Agrees with the Werewolf

AN: There is a fight scene from Eclipse that I put in there for the people that only watched the movies. Because the movies left out a lot. The only change is that instead of Seth coming back and fighting with Edward, it's Jacob. So once you start reading the part you already know, then you can leave a review! :) Please. Because the fight scene goes to the end. I hope you like the chapter and please please please review! Thanks. :)

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><p>"Jacob, where are we going?" I asked for the fifth time since we had left the warm tent.<p>

"You'll see Bella."

God it was getting freezing out. I was halfway warm from hugging Jacob's back, but it wasn't doing anything for the backside of myself. Another gust of wind rippled against us. I shivered and hugged Jacob tighter in responce. He could tell.

"Bella? Are you okay?"

"No Jacob, I am not okay! I'm freezing my fucking ass off, and I can't find one of the love's of my life! I think my toes are about to fall off, but I don't know, because I lost feeling in them about an hour ago! And we don't seem to be making any progress in finding Edward. Also, all out planning for tomorrow's fight is ruined because of it!"

"First of all, we've only been out here for twenty minutes. Second.. Jeez, do you have to be so fucking dramatic? Third, the planning for 'todays' fight, is not ruined. Have you forgotten already that the vampires can't smell you when your scent is mixed with mine? And fourth," He paused to swing me around him until he was carrying me bridal style, "If you were so cold, you should have just said something."

"Hmm.." I sighed, resting my head against Jacobs shoulder. Nestled in his arms was much warmer than scrunched up against his back. And much more preferable.

"Actually, Bella, I really don't want you out here when your so cold. I'm going to drop you off at my house. Your going to catch pneumonia if your out here much longer. I can find your bloodsucker just fine. I'll be sure to bring him to my place."

"Jacob," I tryed to argue that I wasn't all that cold anymore, but he wouldn't let me.

"Bella, I'm taking you to my place, you can't change my mind. Your going to get sick if your outside much longer."

"Yea, okay Jacob, whatever." There was no point in arguing with him. He was just as stubborn as I was at times. And really, I didn't want to argue the point all that much because frankly, a warm bed sounds pretty damn good right now... He would let me sleep in his bed, wouldn't he? _

"Okay, I'll be back before you know it Bella," Jacob reassurred me, "But, just in case, don't wait up for me, alright? Try to get some sleep. It's already almost four, and you haven't closed your eyes once."

Right now, I was laying in Jacob's bed, with the covers tucked all around me with the blankets that he had pulled up to my chin.

"I can't Jacob, I have to talk to Edward." I protested.

"Then I'll wake you up when we get here alright?" He's such a liar

"Yea, fine. Hurry back." He leaned down to kiss me on the lips. The stood up to walk out the door, but turned around right in the door jam and just stood there.

"You waiting for something?" I asked pointedly.

"I'm not leaving until you've closed your eyes."

I closed my eyes obediantly, but planned on staying up until he got back. I would just leave them closed until he walked out the door.

I couldn't tell if he's left or not, the way he was so silent these days. But, I thought it should have been long enough. I opened my eyes just a crack to see if he'd left yet.

"Bella." Damn.

I closed my eyes again. I told myself I would count to twenty, then open my eye's again. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6... 7.. 8... 9... _

I blinked and slowly opened my eyes. I glanced around my room.. then sat up quickly. What? This isn't my room! Last nights activities came rushing back to me. Oh. Oh! Damnit! I fell asleep! He didn't wake me up! Well, really, truth be told, I hadn't ever expected him too. Still, he has some explaining to do.

"Jacob!" I called agravatedly. Not noticing how loud I was, or that Billy could still be sleeping the next room.

"He left" A voice I would recognize anywhere announced.

"Edward?" Edward! I quickly jumped out of bed to run to the doorway, where he was standing. Before throwing my arms around his neck and buring my head in his chest.

He hugged me back, breifly, before pulling me away from him and leading me back towards the bed. Where he tucked me back under the covers and sat on the end. It finally dawned on me what he had said.

"What do you mean, he left?"

"He went to go fight, about an hour ago actually." He said nonchalantly. He didn't show any of the traces of anger he was before he stormed out of the tent the night before. In fact, he was acting as if nothing had even happened. This was way to weird.

"Edward, are you okay?" I had to ask. He was acting so, normal. Not at all what I had expected.

"Jacob explained everything to me. I thats what your asking." Well that explains everything.

"And your okay with it?"

"Can't say I'm to keen on the idea of sharing you with another man, Bella. But if it means I don't lose you. Then I'm willing to make that sacrafice." I could see a trace of discust on his face, "Whatever makes you happy Bella."

"This does Edward. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that you understand. And that your not leaving me." I said earnestly.

"Again, I'll do anything to make you happy Bella. I love you." He leaned down to brush his lips against mine. Similar to what Jake had done just the night before. But as always, he was hesitant, guarded, not completely giving in. Fustrated, I reached up and pulled at his neck, trying to guage any responce out of him. It did, but not the one I was looking for. Instead of kissing me back more, like I'd invisioned. He pulled back, sitting all the way up. Before speaking.

"Bella, no offence. But you really smell like dog."

I sighed. It figured I would smell like that to him, since I'd been hugged up against Jacob until four in the morning. I guess I should take a shower, but I didn't have a change of clothes. Putting on an old shirt of Jacobs wouldn't do any good since they all smell like him and I was trying to get his smell off of me. But, who cares, okay Edward does, but still.. I wanted to take a shower, I could feel my hair matted against my forehead and scalp. I would just have to wear Jacobs old shirt and sweats. I stood up to go look in Jacobs closet, but Edward stopped me.

"What are you doing Bella?"

"I want to take a shower, but I don't have a change of clothes. I'm just going to borrow something of Jacobs." I explained. I realized to late that this clarification might make Edward a little angry.

"Oh, okay," He shrugged the statement off, along with his shirt..? What was he doing. Was he taking a shower with me? The images popped into my head before I could stop them. Be reasonable Bella. He's never done anything like that before, why would he start now? Well.. he hadn't had an incredibly sexy werewolf competing for my attention before either.

"Just wear this instead of his shirt, please? I'm already surrounded by his werewolf stench, the least you could do is take some of it away? Please, for me Bella?" I couldn't hid the disappointment, I mean really, what did I think he was going to do? Okay, I knew what I thought he was going to do, but I didn't actually expect him to? Hoped maybe, but expected, no.

"Unless you want to wear Jacob's, that fine." He mistook the disappointment on my face.

"Oh, no, that's Edward. I completely understand." I reassured him. I couldn't help but feel a little skeptical about his motives. I mean, I already stunk like Jacob to begin with, and I would have his pants on, so it wouldn't make that much of a difference. Could he possibly just want me to wear his shirt because, he wanted something of his on me? No, Edward isn't like that. I feel immature for even thinking something like that.

I grabbed his shirt and a pair of Jacob's sweat pants, then something dawned on me. Underwear. What am I going to do? I don't have a spare, and it would be really gross if I put the same pair on after my shower. Maybe.. Ew, okay, I would have to make sure they were clean. I just won't allow myself to think to much on where they've been. Or, really, who they've been on. Or what. God Bella, think other thoughts. Where does he keep his boxer's _

I'd found a pair in the dryer, then walked to his bathroom with Edward's shirt and Jacob's boxers. I wasn't going to wear the sweats because, for one, they were way to big, and two, Jacob's boxers were big long enough to be shorts for me anyway, reaching halfway down my thigh.

I turned on the shower and stripped down, before stepping in and under the water. I let the water soak through my hair before reaching for my shampoo...

Shit! I forgot about shampoo too! All Jake has is this cheap, store brand, two in one soap and shampoo. Well, considering I was already soak anyway, and there wasn't any other soap, I used that. Probably going to dry out my hair, but who cares? I'll just take another shower tonight. I quickly soaped and shampooed up before rinsing off and shutting the water off. Drying off, I stepped into Jacob's boxers and slipped Edward shirt on, buttoning up the front buttons as I walked out the door, I threw my towel in the basket by the washing machine and walked back to Jacob's room where Edward was waiting. _

I opened the door to see Edward sitting on Jake's bed with a glazed expression.

"It's started" I assumed, considering his posture.

"Not yet, in a couple minutes though" He replyed, pulling me onto his lap, where I rested my head in the crook of his neck and listened to his breathing. I didn't realize my left hand was clenched into a fist, nails biting into my bandaged palm, until Edward took it and gently smoothed my fingers out.

"It's going to be fine, Bella," he promised. "We've got skill, training, and surprise on our side. It will be over very soon. If I didn't truly believe that, I would be down there now - and you'd be here, locked in Jacob's room or something along those lines."

"Alice is so small," I moaned.

He chuckled. "That might be a problem . . . if it were possible for someone to catch her."

Suddenly he straightened up. "The newborns have reached the end of the trail - it worked like a charm, Jasper's a genius - and they've caught the scent of the ones in the meadow, so they're splitting into two groups now, as Alice said," Edward murmured, his eyes focused on something far away. "Sam's taking us around to head off the ambush party." He was so intent on what he was hearing  
>that he used the pack plural.<p>

Suddenly he looked down at me. "Breathe, Bella."  
>I struggled to do what he asked. I could listened to his calm breaths, and I tried to keep my lungs on the same even pace, so that I wouldn't hyperventilate.<p>

"The first group is in the clearing. We can hear the fighting."

My teeth locked together.

He laughed once. "We can hear Emmett - he's enjoying himself."

I made myself take another breath with Edward.

"The second group is getting ready - they aren't paying attention, they haven't heard us yet." Edward growled suddenly.

"What?" I gasped.

"They're talking about you." His teeth clenched together. "They're supposed to make sure you don't escape. . . . Nice move, Leah! Mmm, she's quite fast," he murmured in approval. "One of the newborns caught our scent, and Leah took him down before he could even turn. Sam's helping her finish him off. Paul and Jacob got another one, but the others are on the defensive now. They have no idea what to make of us. Both sides are feinting. . . . No, let Sam lead. Stay out of the way," he muttered. "Separate them - don't let them protect each other's backs."

"That's better, drive them toward the clearing," Edward approved. His body was shifting unconsciously as he watched, tensing for moves he would have made if he were to be in the clearing with the rest of his family. His hands still held mine; I twisted my fingers through his. At least he wasn't down there.

Abruptly, Edward sat up, "We've got to go," was all he said before flinging me on his back and rushing out of Jacob's room and out the front door.

"Edward, where are we going?"

"Victoria." He said bluntly, before quickening his pace, if that was even possible.

I remembered all to well, asking Jacob the same question not 8 hours before this. But this time, we weren't looking for anyone. No, this time.. Someone was looking for us. A redheaded Vampire to be exact.

"Are we leaving to find somewhere to hide?" I asked in confusion.

"No Bella," He spat, "Where looking for place where I can protect you and fight a vampire at the same time."

"What? You going to fight her? Edward, No!"

"She's already caught my scent, she figures you'll be with me, wherever I am. And she's right" He said, with sick certainty.

"But, we can get away, right? I mean, your faster than her, aren't you?"

"I would be, if I wasn't carrying you Bella, but she's gaining on us, and I can only hope I can get to the cliff-side before she catches up to us." So I was killing Edward by having him stay with me. If only I'd been strong enough, strong enough to let him go to the fight. Then there would have been a chance for Edward. He might have gotten away. But not, it was to late.

"Why do we need to go to cliff-side?" I asked. His earlier statement dawning on me.

"So I don't have to worry about watching my back, and so that you'll always be between the cliff-side and myself. No room for Victoria to strike."

I could see the cliff-side ahead, the same time I heard a feral growl from behind us. I turned and saw Victoria loping towards us. That was all I saw, before Edward hurriedly slid me off his back and set me carefully on me feet. Before whipping around and crouching down in front of me.

We were now at the cliff-side. A corner to be exact. Where two cliff met to make a large "L" shape. I backed myself as far as I could into the corner before falling backward and pulling my legs up to my chin. I was wrapping my arms around my legs, when I saw two vampires come into view. Victoria was not alone. They glistened like diamonds in the sun.

I could barely look at the blond boy - yes, he was just a boy, though he was muscular and tall, maybe my age when he was changed. His eyes - a more vivid red than I had ever seen before - could not hold mine. Though he was closest to Edward, the nearest danger, I could not watch him.

Because, a few feet to the side and a few feet back, Victoria was staring at me. Her orange hair was brighter than I'd remembered, more like a flame. There was no wind here, but the fire around her face seemed to shimmer slightly, as if it were alive. Her eyes were black with thirst. She did not smile, as she always had in my nightmares - her lips were pressed into a tight line. There was a striking feline quality to the way she held her coiled body, a lioness waiting for an opening to spring. Her restless, wild gaze flickered between Edward and me, but never rested on him for more than a half-second. She could not keep her eyes from my face any more than I could keep mine from hers.

Tension rolled off of her, nearly visible in the air. I could feel the desire, the all-consuming passion that held her in its grip. Almost as if I could hear her thoughts, too, I knew what she was thinking. She was so close to what she wanted - the focus of her whole existence for more than a year  
>now was just so close.<p>

My death.

Her plan was as obvious as it was practical. The big blond boy would attack Edward. As soon as Edward was sufficiently distracted, Victoria would finish me.

It would be quick - she had no time for games here - but it would be thorough. Something that it would be impossible to recover from. Something that even vampire venom could not repair.  
>She'd have to stop my heart. Perhaps a hand shoved through my chest, crushing it.<p>

Something along those lines.

My heart beat furiously, loudly, as if to make her target more obvious.

An immense distance away, from far across the black forest, a wolf's howl echoed in the still air. With Jacob gone, there was no way to interpret the sound.

The blond boy looked at Victoria from the corner of his eye, waiting on her command. He was young in more ways than one. I guessed from his brilliant crimson irises that he couldn't have been a vampire for very long. He would be strong, but inept. Edward would know how to fight him. Edward would survive.

Victoria jerked her chin toward Edward, wordlessly ordering the boy forward.

"Riley," Edward said in a soft, pleading voice. The blond boy froze, his red eyes widening.

"She's lying to you, Riley," Edward told him. "Listen to me. She's lying to you just like she lied to the others who are dying now in the clearing. You know that she's lied to them, that she had you lie to them, that neither of you were ever going to help them. Is it so hard to believe that she's lied to you, too?"

Confusion swept across Riley's face.

Edward shifted a few inches to the side, and Riley automatically compensated with an adjustment of his own. "She doesn't love you, Riley." Edward's soft voice was compelling, almost hypnotic. "She never has. She loved someone named James, and you're no more than a tool to her."

When he said James's name, Victoria's lips pulled back in a teeth-baring grimace. Her eyes stayed locked on me.

Riley cast a frantic glance in her direction.

"Riley?" Edward said. Riley automatically refocused on Edward.

"She knows that I will kill you, Riley. Shewants you to die so that she doesn't have to keep up the pretense anymore. Yes - you've seen that, haven't you? You've read the reluctance in her eyes, suspected a false note in her promises. You were right. She's never wanted you.  
>Every kiss, every touch was a lie."<p>

Edward moved again, moved a few inches toward the boy, a few inches away from me.

Victoria's gaze zeroed in on the gap between us. It would take her less than a second to kill me - she only needed the tiniest margin of opportunity.

Slower this time, Riley repositioned himself.

"You don't have to die," Edward promised, his eyes holding the boy's. "There are other ways to live than the way she's shown you. It's not all lies and blood, Riley. You can walk away right now. You don't have to die for her lies."

Edward slid his feet forward and to the side. There was a foot of space between us now.

Riley circled too far, overcompensating this time. Victoria leaned forward onto the balls of her feet.

"Last chance, Riley," Edward whispered.

Riley's face was desperate as he looked to Victoria for answers.

"He's the liar, Riley," Victoria said, and my mouth fell open in shock at the sound of her voice. "I told you about their mind tricks. You know I love only you."

Her voice was not the strong, wild, catlike growl I would have put with her face and stance. It was soft, it was high - a babyish, soprano tinkling. The kind of voice that went with blond curls and pink bubble gum. It made no sense coming through her bared, glistening teeth.

Riley's jaw tightened, and he squared his shoulders. His eyes emptied - there was no more confusion, no more suspicion. There was no thought at all. He tensed himself to attack.

Victoria's body seemed to be trembling, she was so tightly wound. Her fingers were ready claws, waiting for Edward to move just one more inch away from me.

The snarl came from none of them.

A mammott russet shape flew through the center of the opening, throwing Riley to the ground.

"No!" Victoria cried, her baby voice shrill with disbelief.

A yard and a half in front of me, the huge wolf ripped and tore at the blond vampire beneath him. Something white and hard smacked into the rocks by my feet. I cringed away from it.

Victoria did not spare one glance for the boy she'd just pledged her love to. Her eyes were still on me, filled with a disappointment so ferocious that she looked deranged.

"No," she said again, through her teeth, as Edward started to move toward her, blocking her path to me.

Riley was on his feet again, looking misshapen and haggard, but he was able to fling a vicious kick into Jacob's shoulder. I heard the bone crunch. Jacob backed off and started to circle, limping. Riley had his arms out, ready, though he seemed to be missing part of one hand. . . .

Only a few yards away from that fight, Edward and Victoria were dancing.

Not quite circling, because Edward was not allowing her to position herself closer to me. She sashayed back, moving from side to side, trying to find a hole in his defense. He shadowed her footwork lithely, stalking her with perfect concentration. He began to move just a fraction of a second before she moved, reading her intentions in her thoughts.

Jacob lunged at Riley from the side, and something tore with a hideous, grating screech.

Another heavy white chunk flew into the forest with a thud. Riley roared in fury, and Jacob skipped back - amazingly light on his feet for his size - as Riley took a swipe at him with one mangled hand.

Victoria was weaving through the tree trunks at the far end of the little opening now. She was torn, her feet pulling her toward safety while her eyes yearned toward me as if I were a magnet, reeling her in. I could see the burning desire to kill warring with her survival instinct. Edward could see that, too.

"Don't go, Victoria," he murmured in that same hypnotic tone as before. "You'll never get another chance like this."

She showed her teeth and hissed at him, but she seemed unable to move farther away from me.

"You can always run later," Edward purred. "Plenty of time for that. It's what you do, isn't it? It's why James kept you around. Useful, if you like to play deadly games. A partner with an uncanny instinct for escaping. He shouldn't have left you - he could have used your skills when we caught up to him in Phoenix."

A snarl ripped from between her lips.

"That's all you ever were to him, though. Silly to waste so much energy avenging someone who had less affection for you than a hunter for his mount. You were never more than a convenience to him. I would know."

Edward's lips pulled up on one side as he tapped his temple.

With a strangled screech, Victoria darted out of the trees again, feinting to the side. Edward responded, and the dance began again.

Just then, Riley's fist caught Jacob's flank, and a low yelp coughed out of Jacob's throat. Jacob backed away, his shoulders twitching as if he were trying to shake off the pain.

Please,I want ed to plead with Riley, but I couldn't find the muscles to make my mouth open, to pull the air up from my, leave him alone!

Why hadn't Jacob run away? Why didn't he run now?

Riley was closing the distance between them again, driving Jacob toward the cliff face beside me. Victoria was suddenly interested in her partner's fate. I could see her, from the corner of her eyes, judge the distance between Riley and me. Jacob snapped at Riley, forcing him back again, and Victoria hissed.

Jacob wasn't limping anymore. His circling took him within inches of Edward; his tail brushed Edward's back, and Victoria's eyes bulged.

"No, he won't turn on me," Edward said, answering the question in Victoria's head. He used her distraction to slide closer. "You provided us with a common enemy. You allied us."

She clenched her teeth, trying to keep her focus on Edward alone.

"Look more closely, Victoria," he murmured, pulling at the threads of her concentration. "Is he really so much like the monster James tracked across Siberia?"

Her eyes popped wide open, and then began flickering wildly from Edward to Jacob to me, around and around. "Not the same?" she snarled in her little girl's soprano. "Impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible," Edward murmured, voice velvet soft as he moved another inch closer to her. "Except what you want. You'll never touch her."

She shook her head, fast and jerky, fighting his diversions, and tried to duck around him, but he was in place to block her as soon as she'd thought of the plan. Her face contorted in frustration, and then she shifted lower into her crouch, a lioness again, and stalked deliberately forward.

Victoria was no inexperienced, instinct-driven newborn. She was lethal. Even I could tell the difference between her and Riley.

Edward shifted, too, as they closed on each other, and it was lion versus lioness.

The dance increased in tempo.

It was like Alice and Jasper in the meadow, a blurred spiraling of movement, only this dance was not as perfectly choreographed. Sharp crunches and crackings reverberated off the cliff face whenever someone slipped in their formation. But they were moving too fast for me to see who was making the mistakes. . . .

Riley was distracted by the violent ballet, his eyes anxious for his partner. Jacob struck, crunching off another small piece of the vampire. Riley bellowed and launched a massive backhanded blow that caught Jacob full in his broad chest. Jacob's huge body soared ten feet and crashed into the rocky wall over my head with a force that seemed to shake the whole peak. I heard the breath whoosh from his lungs, and I ducked out of the way as he rebounded off the stone and collapsed on the ground a few feet in front of me.

A low whimper escaped through Jacob's teeth.

Sharp fragments of gray stone showered down on my head, scratching my exposed skin. A jagged spike of rock rolled down my right arm and I caught it reflexively. My fingers clenched around the long shard as my own survival instincts kicked in; since there was no chance of flight, my body - not caring how ineffectual the gesture was - prepared for a fight.

Adrenaline jolted through my veins. I knew the brace was cutting into my palm. I knew the crack in my knuckle was protesting. I knew it, but I could not feel the pain.

Behind Riley, all I could see was the twisting flame of Victoria's hair and a blur of white.

The increasingly frequent metallic snaps and tears, the gasps and shocked hissings, made it clear that the dance was turning deadly for someone.  
>But which someone?<p>

Riley lurched toward me, his red eyes brilliant with fury. He glared at the limp mountain of russet-colored fur between us, and his hands - mangled, broken hands - curled into talons. His mouth opened, widened, his teeth glistening, as he prepared to rip out Jacob's throat. No! I though, not my Jacob!

A second kick of adrenaline hit like an electric shock, and everything was suddenly very clear.

Both fights were too close. Jacob was about to lose his, and I had no idea if Edward was winning or losing. They needed help. A distraction. Something to give them an edge.

My hand gripped the stone spike so tightly that a support in the brace snapped.

Was I strong enough? Was I brave enough? How hard could I shove the rough stone into my body? Would this buy Jacob enough time to get back on his feet? Would he heal fast enough for my sacrifice to do him any good?

I raked the point of the shard up my arm, yanking my thick sweater back to expose the skin, and then pressed the sharp tip to the crease at my elbow. I already had a long scar there from my last birthday. That night, my flowing blood had been enough to catch every vampire's attention, to freeze them all in place for an instant. I prayed it would work that way again. I steeled myself and sucked in one deep breath.

Victoria was distracted by the sound of my gasp. Her eyes, holding still for one tiny portion of a second, met mine. Fury and curiosity mingled strangely in her expression.

I wasn't sure how I heard the low sound with all the other noises echoing off the stone wall and hammering inside my head. My own heartbeat should have been enough to drown it out.

But, in the split second that I stared into Victoria's eyes, I thought I heard a familiar, exasperated sigh.

In that same short second, the dance broke violently apart. It happened so quickly that it was over before I could follow the sequence of events. I tried to catch up in my head.

Victoria had flown out of the blurred formation and smashed into a tall spruce about halfway up the tree. She dropped back to the earth already crouched to spring.

Simultaneously, Edward - all but invisible with speed - had twisted backward and caught the unsuspecting Riley by the arm. It had looked like Edward planted his foot against Riley's back, and heaved -

The little campsite was filled with Riley's piercing shriek of agony.

At the same time, Jacob leaped to his feet, cutting off most of my view.

But I could still see Victoria. And, though she looked oddly deformed - as if she were unable to straighten up completely - I could see the smile I'd been dreaming of flash across her wild face.

She coiled and sprang.

Something small and white whistled through the air and collided with her mid-flight. The impact sounded like an explosion, and it threw her against another tree - this one snapped in half. She landed on her feet again, crouched and ready, but Edward was already in place. Relief swelled in my heart when I saw that he stood straight and perfect.

Victoria kicked something aside with a flick of her bare foot - the missile that had crippled her attack. It rolled toward me, and I realized what it was.

My stomach lurched.

The fingers were still twitching; grasping at blades of grass, Riley's arm began to drag itself mindlessly across the ground.

Jacob was circling Riley again, and now Riley was retreating. He backed away from the advancing werewolf, his face rigid with pain. He raised his one arm defensively.

Jacob rushed Riley, and the vampire was clearly off-balance. I saw Jacob sink his teeth into Riley's shoulder and tear, jumping back again.

With an earsplitting metallic screech, Riley lost his other arm.

Jacob shook his head, flinging the arm into the woods. The broken hissing noise that came through Jacob's teeth sounded like snickering.

Riley screamed out a tortured plea. "Victoria!"

Victoria did not even flinch to the sound of her name. Her eyes did not flicker once toward her partner.

Jacob launched himself forward with the force of a wrecking ball. The thrust carried both Seth and Riley into the trees, where the metallic screeching was matched by Riley's screams.

Screams that abruptly cut off, while the sounds of rock being ripped to shreds continued.

Though she spared Riley no farewell glance, Victoria seemed to realize that she was on her own. She began to back away from Edward, frenzied disappointment blazing in her eyes. She threw me one short, agonized stare of longing, and then she started to retreat faster.

"No," Edward crooned, his voice seductive. "Stay just a little longer."

She wheeled and flew toward the refuge of the forest like an arrow from a bow.

But Edward was faster - a bullet from a gun.

He caught her unprotected back at the edge of the trees and, with one last, simple step, the dance was over.

Edward's mouth brushed once across her neck, like a caress. The squealing clamor coming from Jacob's efforts covered every other noise, so there was no discernible sound to make the image one of violence. He could have been kissing her. And then the fiery tangle of hair was no longer connected to the rest of her body. The shivering orange waves fell to the ground, and bounced once before rolling toward the trees.


	5. A New Member of the Cullen Family

**AN: Right here is just what happens after the battle, but the events are changed and twisted up a bit. You'll love the ending. I really enjoyed writing it. :) It sorta goes off the book but not really and you'll be really surprised. Cant wait for you to read it. :) So what are you waiting for? Read on!**

* * *

><p>I forced my eyes - frozen wide with shock - to move, so that I could not examine too closely the oval object wrapped in tendrils of shivering, fiery hair.<p>

Edward was in motion again. Swift and coolly businesslike, he dismembered the headless corpse.

I could not go to him - I could not make my feet respond; they were bolted to the stone beneath them. But I scrutinized his every action minutely, looking for any evidence that he had been harmed. My heart slowed to a healthier rhythm when I found nothing. He was lithe and graceful as ever. I couldn't even see a tear in his clothes.

He did not look at me - where I stood frozen to the cliff wall, horrified - while he piled the quivering, twitching limbs and then covered them with dry pine needles. He still did not meet my shocked gaze as he darted into the forest after Jacob.

I didn't have time to recover before both he and Jacob were back, Edward with his arms full of Riley. Jacob was carrying a large chunk - the torso - in his mouth. They added their burden to the pile, and Edward pulled a silver rectangle from his pocket. He flipped open the butane lighter and held the flame to the dry tinder. It caught at once; long tongues of orange fire licked rapidly across the pyre.

"Get every piece," Edward said in a low aside to Jacob.

Together, the vampire and the werewolf scoured the campsite, occasionally tossing small lumps of white stone into the blaze. Jacob handled the pieces with his teeth. My brain wasn't working well enough for me to understand why he didn't change back to a form with hands.

Edward kept his eyes on his work.

And then they were done, and the raging fire was sending a pillar of choking purple toward the sky. The thick smoke curled up slowly, looking more solid than it should; it smelled like burning incense, and the scent was uncomfortable. It was heavy, too strong.

Jacob made that snickering sound again, deep in his chest.

A smile flickered across Edward's tense face.

Edward stretched out his arm, his hand curled into a fist. Jacob grinned, revealing the long row of dagger teeth, and bumped his nose against Edward's hand.

"Nice teamwork," Edward murmured.

Jacob coughed a laugh.

Then Edward took a deep breath, and turned slowly to face me.

I did not understand his expression. His eyes were as wary as if I were another enemy - more than wary, they were afraid. Yet he'd shown no fear at all when he'd faced Victoria and Riley... My mind was stuck, stunned and useless as my body. I stared at him, bewildered.

"Bella, love," he said in his softest tone, walking toward me with exaggerated slowness, his hands held up, palms forward. Dazed as I was, it reminded me oddly of a suspect approaching a policeman, showing that he wasn't armed. . . .

"Bella, can you drop the rock, please? Carefully. Don't hurt yourself."

I'd forgotten all about my crude weapon, though I realized now that I was grasping it so hard that my knuckle was screaming in protest. Was it re-broken? Carlisle would put me in a cast for sure this time.

Edward hesitated a few feet from me, his hands still in the air, his eyes still fearful.

It took me a few long seconds to remember how to move my fingers. Then the rock clattered to the ground, while my hand stayed frozen in the same position.

Edward relaxed slightly when my hands were empty, but came no closer.

"You don't have to be afraid, Bella," Edward murmured. "You're safe. I won't hurt you."

The mystifying promise only confused me further. I stared at him like an imbecile, trying to understand.

"It's going to be all right, Bella. I know you're frightened now, but it's over. No one is going to hurt you. I won't touch you. I won't hurt you," he said again.

My eyes blinked furiously, and I found my voice. "Why do you keep saying that?"

I took an unsteady step toward him, and he leaned away from my advance.

"What's wrong?" I whispered. "What do you mean?"

"Are you . . ." His golden eyes were suddenly as confused as I felt. "Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Afraid of you?Why? "

I staggered forward another step, and then tripped over something - my own feet probably.

Edward caught me, and I buried my face in his chest and started to sob.

"Bella, Bella, I'm so sorry. It's over, it's over."

"I'm fine," I gasped. "I'm okay. I'm just. Freaking out. Give me. A minute."

His arms tightened around me. "I'm so sorry," he murmured again and again.

I clung to him until I could breathe, and then I was kissing him - his chest, his shoulder, his neck - every part of him that I could reach. Slowly, my brain started to work again.

"Are you okay?" I demanded between kisses. "Did she hurt you at all?"

"I am absolutely fine," he promised, burying his face in my hair.

"Jacob?" I asked, I threw my head up to look over Edward's shoulder, I'd forgot for a second that Jacob was in the clearing with us. Jake was staring into the gradually dieing embers. He didn't look hurt anywhere, but I had to be sure.

Edward chuckled. "More than fine. Very pleased with himself, in fact." Relief washed over me for the second time since the fight had ended.

"The others? Alice, Esme? The wolves?

"All fine. It's over there, too. It went just as smoothly as I promised. We got the worst of it here."

I let myself absorb that for a moment, let it sink in and settle in my head.

My family and my friends were safe. Victoria was never coming after me again. It was over.

We were all going to be fine.

But I couldn't completely take in the good news while I was still so confused.

"Tell me why," I insisted. "Why did you think I would be afraid of you?"

"I'm sorry," he said, apologizing yet again - for what? I had no idea. "So sorry. I didn't want you to see that. Seeme like that. I know I must have terrified you."

I had to think about that for another minute, about the hesitant way he'd approached me, his hands in the air. Like I was going to run if he moved too fast. . . .

"Seriously?" I finally asked. "You . . . what? Thought you'd scared me off?" I snorted.

Snorting was good; a voice couldn't tremble or break during a snort. It sounded impressively offhand.

He put his hand under my chin and tilted my head back to read my face.

"Bella, I just" - he hesitated and then forced the words out - "I just beheaded and dismembered a sentient creature not twenty yards from you. That doesn't bother you?" He frowned at me.

I shrugged. Shrugging was good, too. Very blasé. "Not really. I was only afraid that you and Jacob were going to get hurt. I wanted to help, but there's only so much I can do. . . ."

His suddenly livid expression made my voice fade out.

"Yes," he said, his tone clipped. "Your little stunt with the rock. You know that you nearly gave me a heart attack? Not the easiest thing to do, that."

His furious glower made it hard to answer.

"I wanted to help . . . Jacob was hurt. . . ."

"Jacob was only feigning that he was hurt, Bella. It was a trick. And then you . . . !" He shook his head, unable to finish. "Jacob couldn't see what you were doing, so I had to step in. It's a good thing Jacob didn't see either, or I'm sure you would have given him a heart attack also."

"Jacob was . . . faking?"

Edward nodded sternly.

"Oh."

We both looked at Jacob, who was studiously ignoring us, watching the flames. Smugness radiated from every hair in his fur.

"Well, I didn't know that," I said, on the offense now. "And it's not easy being the only helpless person around. Just you wait till I'm a vampire! I'm not going to be sitting on the sidelines next time."

A dozen emotions flitted across his face before he settled on being amused. "Next time? Do you anticipate another war soon?"

"With my luck? Who knows?"

He rolled his eyes, but I could see that he was flying - the relief was making us both lightheaded. It was over.

"Hold on. Didn't you say something before - ? About a complication? And Alice, needing to nail down the schedule for Sam. You said it was going to be close. What was going to be close?" Edward's eyes flickered back to Jacob, and they exchanged a loaded glance.  
>"Well?" I asked.<p>

"It's nothing, really," Edward said quickly. "But we do need to be on our way. . . ."

He started to pull me into place on his back, but I stiffened and drew away.

"Define nothing."

Edward took my face between his palms. "We only have a minute, so don't panic, all right? I told you that you had no reason to be afraid. Trust me on that, please?"

I nodded, trying to hide the sudden terror - how much more could I handle before I collapsed? "No reason to be afraid. Got it."

He pursed his lips for a second, deciding what to say. And then he glanced abruptly at Jacob, as if the wolf had called him.

"What's she doing?" Edward asked.

Jacob whined; it was an anxious, uneasy sound. It made the hair on the back of my neck rise.

Everything was dead silent for one endless second.

And then Edward gasped, "No!" and one of his hands flew out as if to grab something that I couldn't see. "Don't -!"

A spasm rocked through Jacob's body, and a howl, blistering with agony, ripped from his lungs.

Edward fell to his knees at the exact same moment, gripping the sides of his head with two hands, his face furrowed in pain.

I screamed once in bewildered terror, and dropped to my knees beside him. Stupidly, I tried to pull his hands from his face; my palms, clammy with sweat, slid off his marble skin.

"Edward! Edward!"

His eyes focused on me; with obvious effort, he pulled his clenched teeth apart.

"It's okay. We're going to be fine. It's -" He broke off, and winced again.

"What's happening?" I cried out while Jacob howled in anguish.

"We're fine. We're going to be okay," Edward gasped. "Sam - help her -"

And I realized in that instant, when he said Sam's name, that he was not speaking of himself and Jacob. No unseen force was attacking them. This time, the crisis was not here.

He was using the pack plural.

I'd burned through all my adrenaline. My body had nothing left. I sagged, and Edward caught me before I could hit the rocks. He sprang to his feet, me in his arms.

"Jacob!" Edward shouted.

Jacob was crouched, still tensed in agony, looking as if he meant to launch himself into the forest.

"No!" Edward ordered. "You go straight home. Now. As fast as you can!"

Jacob growled, shaking his great head from side to side.

"Jacob. Trust me, you c-.. I know you don't take orders from me!" He said in an aggravated voice, "Jacob, just go home, please? I can take care of her, you fucking mongrel." What? I had never hear Edward use any sort of foul language, yet here he was, cursing Jacob out.

"Listen," Edward started again, "I'm sorry, but, please, just go home, I can take care of Bella just fine. You being there would most likely just cause another fight. They don't like any abnormal being.. Jacob!" He suddenly growled, "Yes, I know their hypocritical, but still, it would be better for everyone if you just waited at home until they were gone. Then I promise. I will bring her with me to your place. Jacob, I promise."

He stared into Edward's agonized eyes for one long second, and then he straightened up and flew into the trees, disappearing like a ghost.

Edward cradled me tightly against his chest, and then we were also hurtling through the shadowy forest, taking a different path than the wolf.

"Edward." I fought to force the words through my constricted throat. "What happened, Edward? What happened to Sam? Where are we going? What's happening?"

"We have to go back to the clearing," he told me in a low voice. "We knew there was a good probability of this happening. Earlier this morning, Alice saw it and passed it through Sam to Jacob. The Volturi decided it was time to intercede."

The Volturi.

Too much. My mind refused to make sense of the words, pretended it couldn't understand.

The trees jolted past us. He was running downhill so fast that it felt as if we were plummeting, falling out of control.

"Don't panic. They aren't coming for us. It's just the normal contingent of the guard that usually cleans up this kind of mess. Nothing momentous, they're merely doing their job. Of course, they seem to have timed their arrival very carefully. Which leads me to believe that no one in Italy would mourn if these newbornshad reduced the size of the Cullen family."

The words came through his teeth, hard and bleak. "I'll know for sure what they were thinking when they get to the clearing."

"Is that why we're going back?" I whispered. Could I handle this? Images of flowing black robes crept into my unwilling mind, and I flinched away from them. I was close to a breaking point.

"It's part of the reason. Mostly, it will be safer for us to present a united front at this point.

They have no reason to harass us, but . . . Jane's with them. If she thought we were alone somewhere away from the others, it might tempt her. Like Victoria, Jane will probably guess that I'm with you. Demetri, of course, is with her. He could find me, if Jane asked him to."

I didn't want to think that name. I didn't want to see that blindingly exquisite, childlike face in my head. A strange sound came out of my throat.

"Shh, Bella, shh. It's all going to be fine. Alice can see that."

Alice could see? But . . . then where were the wolves? Where was the pack?

"The pack?"

"They had to leave quickly. The Volturi do not honor truces with werewolves."

I could hear my breathing get faster, but I couldn't control it. I started to gasp.

"I swear they will be fine," Edward promised me. "The Volturi won't recognize the scent - they won't realize the wolves are here; this isn't a species they are familiar with. The pack will be fine."

I couldn't process his explanation. My concentration was ripped to shreds by my fears. We're going to be fine, he had said before . . . and Jacob, howling in agony . . . Edward had avoided my first question, distracted me with the Volturi. . . .

I was very close to the edge - just clinging by my fingertips. The trees were a racing blur that flowed around him like jade waters.

"What happened?" I whispered again. "Before. When Jacob was howling? When you were hurt?"

Edward hesitated.

"Edward! Tell me!"

"It was all over," he whispered. I could barely hear him over the wind his speed created. "The wolves didn't count their half . . . they thought they had them all. Of course, Alice couldn't see. . . ."

"What happened?"

"One of the newborns was hiding. . . . Leah found him - she was being stupid, cocky, trying to prove something. She engaged him alone. . . ."

"Leah," I repeated, "Is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know yet, they all helped her to face back, their carrying her human back towards her house. Carlisle will do what he can to help her, after we are done here" All I could think, was that the Volturi better be quick.

We stepped through some brush, and I saw the Cullens standing in a loose semicircle around a bonfire. There were hardly any flames visible, just the thick, purple-black smoke, hovering like a disease against the bright grass.

Jasper stood closest to the solid-seeming haze, in its shadow so that his skin did not glitter brilliantly in the sun the way the others did. He had his back to me, his shoulders tense, his arms slightly extended. There was something there, in his shadow. Something he crouched over with wary intensity. . . .

I was a little more than shocked when I realized what it was.

There were eight vampires in the clearing.

The girl was curled into a small ball beside the flames, her arms wrapped around her legs.

She was very young. Younger than me - she looked maybe fifteen, dark-haired and slight.

Her eyes were focused on me, and the irises were a shocking, brilliant red. Much brighter than Riley's, almost glowing. They wheeled wildly, out of control.

Edward saw my bewildered expression.

"She surrendered," he told me quietly. "That's one I've never seen before. Only Carlisle would think of offering. Jasper doesn't approve."

I couldn't tear my gaze away from the scene beside the fire. Jasper was rubbing absently at his left forearm.

"Is Jasper all right?" I whispered.

"He's fine. The venom stings."

"He was bitten?" I asked, horrified.

"He was trying to be everywhere at once. Trying to make sure Alice had nothing to do, actually." Edward shook his head. "Alice doesn't need anyone's help."

Alice grimaced toward her true love. "Overprotective fool."

The young female suddenly threw her head back like an animal and wailed shrilly.

Jasper growled at her and she cringed back, but her fingers dug into the ground like claws and her head whipped back and forth in anguish. Jasper took a step toward her, slipping deeper into his crouch. Edward moved with overdone casualness, turning our bodies so that he was between the girl and me. I peeked around his arm to watch the thrashing girl and Jasper.

Carlisle was at Jasper's side in an instant. He put a restraining hand on his most recent son's arm.

"Have you changed your mind, young one?" Carlisle asked, calm as ever. "We don't want to destroy you, but we will if you can't control yourself."

"How can you stand it?" the girl groaned in a high, clear voice. "Iwant her." Her bright crimson irises focused on Edward, through him, beyond him to me, and her nails ripped through the hard soil again.

"You must stand it," Carlisle told her gravely. "You must exercise control. It is possible, and it is the only thing that will save you now."

The girl clutched her dirt-encrusted hands around her head, yowling quietly.

"Shouldn't we move away from her?" I whispered, tugging on Edward's arm. The girl's lips pulled back over her teeth when she heard my voice, her expression one of torment.

"We have to stay here," Edward murmured. "They are coming to the north end of the clearing now."

My heart burst into a sprint as I scanned the clearing, but I couldn't see anything past the thick pall of smoke.

After a second of fruitless searching, my gaze crept back to the young female vampire. She was still watching me, her eyes half-mad.

I met the girl's stare for a long moment. Chin-length dark hair framed her face, which was alabaster pale. It was hard to tell if her features were beautiful, twisted as they were by rage and thirst. The feral red eyes were dominant - hard to look away from. She glared at me viciously, shuddering and writhing every few seconds.

I stared at her, mesmerized, wondering if I were looking into a mirror of my future.

Then Carlisle and Jasper began to back toward the rest of us. Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme all converged hastily around where Edward stood with Alice and me. A united front, as Edward had said, with me at the heart, in the safest place.

I tore my attention away from the wild girl to search for the approaching monsters.

There was still nothing to see. I glanced at Edward, and his eyes were locked straight ahead.

I tried to follow his gaze, but there was only the smoke - dense, oily smoke twisting low to the ground, rising lazily, undulating against the grass.  
>It billowed forward, darker in the middle.<p>

"Hmm," a dead voice murmured from the mist. I recognized the apathy at once.

"Welcome, Jane." Edward's tone was coolly courteous.

The dark shapes came closer, separating themselves from the haze, solidifying. I knew it would be Jane in the front - the darkest cloak, almost black, and the smallest figure by more than two feet. I could just barely make out Jane's angelic features in the shade of the cowl.

The four gray-shrouded figures hulking behind her were also somewhat familiar. I was sure I recognized the biggest one, and while I stared, trying to confirm my suspicion, Felix looked up. He let his hood fall back slightly so that I could see him wink at me and smile. Edward was very still at my side, tightly in control.

Jane's gaze moved slowly across the luminous faces of the Cullens and then touched on the newborn girl beside the fire; the newborn had her head in her hands again.

"I don't understand." Jane's voice was toneless, but not quite as uninterested as before.

"She has surrendered," Edward explained, answering the confusion in her mind.

Jane's dark eyes flashed to his face. "Surrendered?"

Felix and another shadow exchanged a quick glance.

Edward shrugged. "Carlisle gave her the option."

"There are no options for those who break the rules," Jane said flatly.

Carlisle spoke then, his voice mild. "That's in your hands. As long as she was willing to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to destroy her. She was never taught."

"That is irrelevant," Jane insisted.

"As you wish."

Jane stared at Carlisle in consternation. She shook her head infinitesimally, and then composed her features.

"Aro hoped that we would get far enough west to see you, Carlisle. He sends his regards."

Carlisle nodded. "I would appreciate it if you would convey mine to him."

"Of course." Jane smiled. Her face was almost too lovely when it was animated. She looked back toward the smoke. "It appears that you've done our work for us today . . . for the most part." Her eyes flickered to the hostage. "Just out of professional curiosity, how many were  
>there? They left quite a wake of destruction in Seattle."<p>

"Eighteen, including this one," Carlisle answered.

Jane's eyes widened, and she looked at the fire again, seeming to reassess the size of it. Felix and the other shadow exchanged a longer glance.

"Eighteen?" she repeated, her voice sounding unsure for the first time.

"All brand-new," Carlisle said dismissively. "They were unskilled."

"All?" Her voice turned sharp. "Then who was their creator?"

"Her name was Victoria," Edward answered, no emotion in his voice.

"Was?" Jane asked.

Edward inclined his head toward the eastern forest. Jane's eyes snapped up and focused on something far in the distance. The other pillar of smoke? I didn't look away to check.

Jane stared to the east for a long moment, and then examined the closer bonfire again.

"This Victoria - she was in addition to the eighteen here?"

"Yes. She had only one other with her. He was not as young as this one here, but no older than a year."

"Twenty," Jane breathed. "Who dealt with the creator?"

"I did," Edward told her.

Jane's eyes narrowed, and she turned to the girl beside the fire.

"You there," she said, her dead voice harsher than before. "Your name."

The newborn shot a baleful glare at Jane, her lips pressed tightly together.

Jane smiled back angelically.

The newborn girl's answering scream was ear-piercing; her body arched stiffly into a distorted, unnatural position. I looked away, fighting the urge to cover my ears. I gritted my teeth, hoping to control my stomach. The screaming intensified. I tried to concentrate on Edward's face, smooth and unemotional, but that made me remember when it had been Edward under Jane's torturing gaze, and I felt sicker. I looked at Alice instead, and Esme next to her. Their faces were as empty as his.

Finally, it was quiet.

"Your name," Jane said again, her voice inflectionless.

"Bree," the girl gasped.

Jane smiled, and the girl shrieked again. I held my breath until the sound of her agony stopped.

"She'll tell you anything you want to know," Edward said through his teeth. "You don't have to do that."

Jane looked up, sudden humor in her usually dead eyes. "Oh, I know," she said to Edward, grinning at him before she turned back to the young vampire, Bree.

"Bree," Jane said, her voice cold again. "Is his story true? Were there twenty of you?"

The girl lay panting, the side of her face pressed against the earth. She spoke quickly.

"Nineteen or twenty, maybe more, I don't know!" She cringed, terrified that her ignorance might bring on another round of torture. "Sara and the one whose name I don't know got in a fight on the way. . . ."

"And this Victoria - did she create you?"

"I don't know," she said, flinching again. "Riley never said her name. I didn't see that night, it was so dark, and it hurt. . . ." Bree shuddered. "He didn't want us to be able to think of her. He said that our thoughts weren't safe. . . ."

Jane's eyes flickered to Edward, and then back to the girl.

Victoria had planned this well. If she hadn't followed Edward, there would have been no way to know for certain that she was involved. . . .

"Tell me about Riley," Jane said. "Why did he bring you here?"

"Riley told us that we had to destroy the strange yellow-eyes here," Bree babbled quickly and willingly. "He said it would be easy. He said that the city was theirs, and they were coming to get us. He said once they were gone, all the blood would be ours. He gave us her scent."

Bree lifted one hand and stabbed a finger in my direction. "He said we would know that we had the right coven, because she would be with them. He said whoever got to her first could have her."

I heard Edward's jaw flex beside me.

"It looks like Riley was wrong about the easy part," Jane noted.

Bree nodded, seeming relieved that the conversation had taken this non-painful course. She sat up carefully. "I don't know what happened. We split up, but the others never came. And Riley left us, and he didn't come to help like he promised. And then it was so confusing, and everybody was in pieces." She shuddered again. "I was afraid. I wanted to run away. That one" - she looked at Carlisle - "said they wouldn't hurt me if I stopped fighting."

"Ah, but that wasn't his gift to offer, young one," Jane murmured, her voice oddly gentle now. "Broken rules demand a consequence."  
>Bree stared at her, not comprehending.<p>

Jane looked at Carlisle. "Are you sure you got all of them? The other half that split off?"

Carlisle's face was very smooth as he nodded. "We split up, too."

Jane half-smiled. "I can't deny that I'm impressed." The big shadows behind her murmured in agreement. "I've never seen a coven escape this magnitude of offensive intact. Do you know what was behind it? It seems like extreme behavior, considering the way you live here. And why was the girl the key?" Her eyes rested unwilling on me for one short second.

I shivered.

"Victoria held a grudge against Bella," Edward told her, his voice impassive.

Jane laughed - the sound was golden, the bubbling laugh of a happy child. "This one seems to bring out bizarrely strong reactions in our kind," she observed, smiling directly at me, her face beatific.

Edward stiffened. I looked at him in time to see his face turning away, back to Jane.

"Would you please not do that?" he asked in a tight voice.

Jane laughed again lightly. "Just checking. No harm done, apparently."

I shivered, deeply grateful that the strange glitch in my system - which had protected me from Jane the last time we'd met - was still in effect. Edward's arm tightened around me.

"Well, it appears that there's not much left for us to do. Odd," Jane said, apathy creeping back into her voice. "We're not used to being rendered unnecessary. It's too bad we missed the fight. It sounds like it would have been entertaining to watch."

"Yes," Edward answered her quickly, his voice sharp. "And you were so close. It's a shame you didn't arrive just a half hour earlier. Perhaps then you could have fulfilled your purpose here."

Jane met Edward's glare with unwavering eyes. "Yes. Quite a pity how things turned out, isn't it?"

Edward nodded once to himself, his suspicions confirmed.

Jane turned to look at the newborn Bree again, her face completely bored. "Felix?" she drawled.

"Wait," Edward interjected.

Jane raised one eyebrow, but Edward was staring at Carlisle while he spoke in an urgent voice. "We could explain the rules to the young one. She doesn't seem unwilling to learn. She didn't know what she was doing."

"Of course," Carlisle answered. "We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree."

Jane's expression was torn between amusement and disbelief.

"We don't make exceptions," she said. "But, it would save of the trouble of disposing of the newborn," She pondered for a moment, "fine, she's your responsibility, be sure teach her the rules. Which reminds me . . ." Suddenly, her eyes were on me again, and her cherubic face dimpled.

"Caius will be so interested to hear that you're still human, Bella. Perhaps he'll decide to visit."

"The date is set," Alice told Jane, speaking for the first time. "Perhaps we'll come to visit you in a few months."

Jane's smile faded, and she shrugged indifferently, never looking at Alice. She turned to face Carlisle. "It was nice to meet you, Carlisle - I'd thought Aro was exaggerating. Well, until we meet again . . ."

Carlisle nodded, his expression pained.

"Come," Jane said, and the tall gray cloaks started drifting away toward the curling smoke. The gray cloaks disappeared into the thick mist.


	6. Vampire and Werewolf Together

Sorry it took so long for an update, but here it is! Hope you enjoy :)

* * *

><p>Everyone waited a fraction of a second, watching, waiting, expecting them to come back any second. But they were gone. Everyone relaxing before they all were in motion. Carlisle giving out orders.<p>

"Jasper, you and Emmett take Brea home."

"Esme, go with them, get her a change of clothes, before teaching her the rules and taking her on a hunt."

"Alice, come with me, we need to help Leah."

"Rosalie, can you go back to the house and get my doctor supplies? Thank you."

"Edward.." He paused.

"Yes." Edward nodded, answering whatever question Carlisle was thinking.

"Well, I will see you tonight." And he was gone. Along with everyone else in the Cullen family, with the exception of Jasper and Emmett, still struggling with the new vampire Brea.

"We should go." Edward said, as he lifted me bridal style and started running with me, in the direction of what I hoped was Jacob's house. But I couldn't know for sure.

Jacob was nowhere to be found when we got to his house. I walked to his front door with Edward trailing silently behind me. I knocked, before opening the door hesitantly after getting no answer.

The living room was empty, so I walked across it to peek into Jacob's bedroom.

"You know you can just walk in. You don't have to sneak around." Jacobs voice startling me. I didn't know what expected, but I had figured he had fallen asleep, or something along those lines, and therefore explaining the reason he hadn't met us outside.

"Jacob.." I breathed. An excitement building in me from, I don't know where. I pushed open his door the rest of the way before launching myself at him and throwing my arms around his neck and jumping into his arms. I held onto him, clinging on to him, for god knows how many minutes, before crushing my lips to his.

"God Bella," Jacob laughed after pulling back from my kiss a couple minutes later, and setting me back on my feet, "If I'd have known you would act like this every time I get back from a fight, I would do it more often."

I decided to ignore his comment, instead, I asked him, "Are you okay? Your not hurt? He didn't hurt you anywhere?" I glanced over his body, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary at all.

"No, Bella, I'm not hurt. I'm perfectly fine." He said exasperatedly. "Besides," he added, "If I would have had any wounds in the first place - which I didn't - they would have healed by now anyway. Werewolf. Remember?"

Yea, how could I forget. "Right" I agreed.

He laughed before dipping down to give me another kiss. Pulling me down on bed with him. We continued kissing for a few minutes, before I heard a throat being cleared. Oh! Edward, Shit! I can't believe I completely forgot about him.

I wanted to try something, but, neither of them would probably go along with it. It was worth a try though, right? Well, I can always find out.

I looked over to see him leaning against Jacob's door frame. Here goes nothing.

"Come here, Edward." I softly beckoned.

He walked over to come sit on the bed, on the opposite side of me that Jacob was. That was okay though, that worked out perfect for what I was planning.

I looked up in his eyes, they were full of confusion and hesitance. I leaned in slowly to bring my lips to his. He was surprised, and hesitant as always, but after a few long seconds, he brought his hand up to rest on my cheek as he deepened the kiss, glancing at Jacob as he did so, but bringing his attention back to me almost immediately after. I continued kissing him for a couple more minutes, before bringing my hand up to rest against the color of his shirt. Gripping it tightly, I leaned back and tilted my head to the side, to see Jacob. I reached with my other hand to grab the back of his head and bring my lips to his once again. He responded by wrapping one arm around my waist, the other resting where Edwards hand had been moments before.

I shifted closer to Edward and Jacob let me go, his hand on my arm now, still stroking, still caressing. Edward slid his hand under my arm, over my ribs. His thumb finding the curve of my breast. "Oh Edward," I moaned.

He smiled and kissed me then, my arms wrapped around him and I pressed more tightly to him. Jacob's hand started caressing me, my back now, my waist. His touch seemed even hotter when I was pressed to Edward's icy body. Edward stiffened as my kiss grew to deep. He pulled his face away. I shivered.

"That's my cue," Jacob's husky voice whispered and I felt him hot against my back again, melting the ice Edward had turned me into. I gasped as his lips found the back of my neck again. I was still tight to Edward's chest, half hot, half cold. Edward's hand was tracing my hip now. Jacob's hands found my chest, pulling me very gently back to him. I turned to kiss Jacob now, while Edward's hand continued to trace my hips, my spine. I kissed Jacob with abandon, the way I had kissed Edward, the way Jacob had kissed me. Only Jacob didn't pull away. He squeezed me tighter.

"This is what I can give you that he can't," he whispered. Then he nipped my ear and I shrieked.

Edward made his counter argument. His hand traced the inside of my thigh. I gasped and felt my insides moisten. "I think my touch, though less rough, is more intoxicating." Now he lay kisses on each of my vertebrae as Jacob continued to kiss me, his hands tangling in my hair.

"Oh my god," I muttered. "I must be dead."

They both laughed. "I'm glad you're not." Edward answered first.

"You don't have to be," Jacob whispered against my lips.

I turned back to Edward again, wanting more of his kisses. He granted himself more freedom this time, his tongue touching my lips, opening them. Jacob's warm hands were on my stomach, pulling my hips into his. The moistness intensified. I groaned in pleasure.

Suddenly the front door slammed open.

"Jacob!" Billy called, "If your not doing anything, I think you should go down to the Clearwaters. The rest of the pack are there, and wondering where you are."

Jacob groaned beside me.

"I guess I should go" He said reluctantly.

"I'll come with you." I said, not wanting to leave him so soon. I glanced over at Edward to see if he was okay with this. He nodded, still catching his breath, like Jacob and I.

We walked out of Jacob's room, all three of us a little disheveled. Billy glanced up at the of us and shook his head.

"I'm not even going to ask" he said, before reverting his attention back to the T.V.


End file.
